Make a Difference to a Child's Life Today

I’m writing to you because like never before, children with autism need your help.

My name is June De Pasquale and I’m a mother of a child with autism. I know the struggles but I also know the fulfilling lives these children can lead, if given the right support.

This is where you come in.

Your ongoing support of AEIOU and children with autism has already made a lasting difference. But there is more to be done which is why we’ve come to ask your support again this year.

We need your support, now more than ever.

Right now, AEIOU Foundation has over 220 children enrolled in centres across the state and more on their waiting lists. Each child placement has a funding gap of $10,000 each year.

Will you be their champion again this year and help close the funding gap?

Autism diagnosis is on the rise but with your help, early intervention can change the course of children’s lives and allow them to reach their full potential.

What most people don’t know is that with early intervention, children with autism can grow to lead fulfilling, rewarding and successful lives. Below I share my family’s journey with autism; the struggles, the pain andthe incredible outcomes.

Back in 2004 we had never heard the word autism. We had no idea what it was, how it impacts children and we certainly didn’t know the lifetime implications it can have on people, if the right help isn’t available.

But by 2005 we knew all of those things, plus more.

When Joey was young he couldn’t make eye contact. He would often sit in his room staring at the wheels on his toys and he couldn’t speak a word. We were lost so we checked his hearing to see if it was to blame but the tests came back negative.

It wasn’t until my mother pointed it out to us. She had just watched a segment about autism and thought Joey was showing the same traits. So we took him to his paediatrician who diagnosed him with autism.

In that moment our world stopped. The paediatrician said Joey would never attend mainstream schooling with the only option being special school. I could hear her words and see her talking but I felt nothing. The world as I knew it had changed.

Our family visited the special school where we were told Joey would spend his 12 years of schooling but it just didn’t fit. We knew there was better support for Joey to reach his true potential.

So we started looking.

We now call it a miracle. The day after the visit, Frank’s Dad phoned to say he had just read an article about a new service tailored especially for children with autism. That service would become known as AEIOU Foundation.

After the very first meeting with AEIOU we knew immediately this was the best place for Joey.

We noticed small changes in Joey almost immediately and each day he would get a little bit better and a little bit better. After just six months Joey was toilet trained, could communicate non-verbally and was more engaged. He was a different boy.

The biggest milestone was when Joey said his first word. Well, it was a sentence actually. At the time Joey loved Thomas the Tank Engine. While playing with his toys, he picked up a train and said “Oh no, Percy is all dirty!”

From that day, we haven’t looked back. Joey went from strength to strength and slowly but surely our world became familiar again. The hopes and dreams for the future began flooding back as Joey transitioned into mainstream schooling.

Fast forward ten years and Joey now attends a mainstream high school and is flourishing. Last year he won an academic award for receiving five A grades in his subjects. He plays a lot of sport including tennis, cricket, rugby and swimming. Tennis is his favourite and he won the most consistent player at his club last year. Playing team sports like rugby is a huge achievement for Joey as many children with autism struggle in a team sporting environment because they can lack the ability to read non-verbal social cues.

Joey has dreams of being a Marine Biologist and is looking forward to the future where he can dissect a frog in science class. We couldn’t be happier.

All of this would simply not be possible without the early intervention program at AEIOU and supporters like you. But AEIOU can’t continue to provide their vital service without your help.

Please donate today to allow more local children access the same support Joey did and every child’s future will be brighter.

Warm regards

June and Frank De Pasquale

P.S. — Hearing the words, “I love you Mum and Dad” is the best feeling in the world, please help other parents who have children with autism hear these words too.